Editing Premier of Western Australia (section)

==Characteristics==
As of 2023, there have been 31 premiers of Western Australia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnston |first1=Greig |last2=Zadvirna |first2=Daryna |title=Roger Cook to be Western Australia's next premier, replacing Mark McGowan |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-31/roger-cook-wa-31st-premier/102416518 |website=ABC News |access-date=4 December 2023 |date=31 May 2023 |archive-date=4 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204060155/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-31/roger-cook-wa-31st-premier/102416518 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Carmen Lawrence]], who was appointed on 12 February 1990, is the first and only woman to be premier of Western Australia. She is also the first woman to be premier of an Australian state.<ref name="Premiers factsheet" /><ref name="Carmen Lawrence parliament biography">{{cite web |title=Carmen Mary Lawrence |url=https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/library/MPHistoricalData.nsf/(Lookup)/A020FE99CBD01DA1482577E50028A6AD |website=Parliament of Western Australia |access-date=18 June 2022 |archive-date=18 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618074027/https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/library/MPHistoricalData.nsf/(Lookup)/A020FE99CBD01DA1482577E50028A6AD |url-status=live }}</ref> By convention, the premier is a member of the Legislative Assembly. However, the premier can be a member of either house of parliament. [[Hal Colebatch]] is the only premier to be a member of the [[Western Australian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] ([[upper house]]). He served for 30 days in 1919, making him the shortest serving premier of Western Australia.<ref name="Premiers factsheet" />{{sfn|Reid|Oliver|1982|p=5}} [[David Brand]] is the longest serving premier, serving for 11 years and 335 days between 1959 and 1971.<ref name="Premiers factsheet" />{{sfn|Black|2021|p=260}} The youngest premier is [[John Scaddan]], who was 35 years, 2 months and 3 days old when he was sworn in in 1911.<ref name="Premiers factsheet" />{{sfn|Black|2021|p=330}} The oldest premier is [[John Tonkin]], who was 69 years, 1 month and 1 day old when he was sworn in in 1971.<ref name="Premiers factsheet" />{{sfn|Black|2021|p=328}} [[Newton Moore]] became premier after two years in parliament, the least time aside from Forrest. Tonkin became premier after almost 38 years in parliament, the most time in parliament before becoming premier.{{sfn|Reid|Oliver|1982|p=6}} The only father and son pair to have both been premier is [[Charles Court]] and his son [[Richard Court]]. [[George Leake]], who died of pneumonia on 24 June 1902, is the only premier to have died in office.<ref name="Premiers factsheet" />{{sfn|Reid|Oliver|1982|p=6}} Moore, [[Philip Collier]], [[John Willcock]] and [[Geoff Gallop]] are the only premiers to have resigned due to ill health.{{sfn|Reid|Oliver|1982|p=5}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Gallop quits citing depression |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-01-16/gallop-quits-citing-depression/2589246 |website=ABC News |access-date=4 December 2023 |date=16 January 2006 |archive-date=4 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204060155/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-01-16/gallop-quits-citing-depression/2589246 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Forrest, Colebatch and Lawrence are the only premiers to have served in the [[Parliament of Australia]] as well.{{sfn|Black|2021|p=325}} Forrest and Lawrence are the only premiers to have been ministers in the [[Government of Australia]] as well. Moore is the only premier to have served in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom]].{{sfn|Black|2021|p=326}} The only premier to subsequently serve as governor is [[James Mitchell (Australian politician)|James Mitchell]].<ref name="Premiers factsheet" /> [[George Leake]], [[Frank Wilson (politician)|Frank Wilson]], [[Phillip Collier]] and Mitchell are the only people to have been premier more than once.{{sfn|Black|2021|p=260}} There are currently eight living former premiers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Current Living Former Prime Ministers, Premiers And Chief Ministers |url=https://australianpolitics.com/states/current-living-former-pms-premiers-chief-ministers |website=AustralianPolitics.com |access-date=4 December 2023 |archive-date=4 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204060155/https://australianpolitics.com/states/current-living-former-pms-premiers-chief-ministers |url-status=live }}</ref> The most recent premier to die is [[Ray O'Connor]], who was premier from 1982 to 1983 and died in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Adshead |first1=Gary |title=Former premier Ray O'Connor dies |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/former-premier-ray-oconnor-dies-ng-ya-281262 |website=The West Australian |access-date=4 December 2023 |date=26 February 2013 |archive-date=3 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003123401/https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/former-premier-ray-oconnor-dies-ng-ya-281262 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="WAtoday 26 February 2013"/>

Two former premiers have been sentenced to jail. In 1994, [[Brian Burke (Australian politician)|Brian Burke]] was sentenced to two years in jail for defrauding the state by $17,000 by making false claims on the parliamentary [[Imprest system|imprest account]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Milliken |first1=Robert |title=W Australia ex-premier jailed for two years |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/w-australia-expremier-jailed-for-two-years-1414120.html |website=Independent |access-date=18 June 2022 |date=15 July 1994 |archive-date=18 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618065741/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/w-australia-expremier-jailed-for-two-years-1414120.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He was released on parole after serving seven months.<ref name="Brian Burke Business News">{{cite web |title=Brian Burke |url=https://www.businessnews.com.au/Person/Brian-Burke |website=Business News |access-date=18 June 2022 |archive-date=18 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618075529/https://www.businessnews.com.au/Person/Brian-Burke |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1995, O'Connor served six months in jail for stealing a $25,000 cheque from the [[Bond Corporation]] during his time as premier.<ref name="WAtoday 26 February 2013">{{cite web |title=Former WA premier Ray O'Connor dies, aged 86 |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/former-wa-premier-ray-oconnor-dies-aged-86-20130226-2f374.html |website=WAtoday |agency=Australian Associated Press |access-date=18 June 2022 |date=26 February 2013 |archive-date=18 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618074249/https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/former-wa-premier-ray-oconnor-dies-aged-86-20130226-2f374.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130558752 |title=Ex-premier's release closes another chapter in sordid WA Inc saga |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=20 August 1995 |access-date=4 December 2023 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=22 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222053103/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130558752 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1997, Burke was sentenced to three years jail for stealing $122,585 in Labor Party campaign donations. He served six months before this conviction was quashed upon appeal.<ref name="Brian Burke Business News" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Barry |first1=Paul |author1-link=Paul Barry |title=Life of Brian |website=The Monthly |pages=38–44 |date=June 2010}}</ref>